This invention relates to winches, particularly winches used on boats or other water vessels to raise and lower an anchor. Other uses of the invention are envisaged.
With winches presently available to raise or lower an anchor, difficulties are met particularly when the anchor is mounted on a chain. These difficulties include connections between a chain and a rope which cause an oversize section in the rope where the connection is made. If the chain jams, unlike a rope, the chain cannot be pushed to force the chain about the capstan of the winch. Furthermore should, for example, the battery run down, it would be desirable to provide a manual override so as to be able to drive the shaft by hand, in particular, to raise the anchor.
It is an object of the present invention to provide variations on winches and/or the rope or chains passing around the winch which will obviate or minimise the foregoing disadvantages in a simple yet effective manner and/or go at least some distance towards meeting the foregoing requirement in a simple yet effective manner or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.
Accordingly in one aspect, the invention consists in a winch, including a chain wheel mounted on a spindle, a clutch to selectively engage or disengage the chain wheel with the spindle, a clutch nut having a central aperture, the clutch nut being movable rotationally and longitudinally on the spindle on mutually engaging threads on the spindle and central aperture, a stop on the spindle to prevent longitudinal movement of the clutch nut away from the chain plates beyond a predetermined position, a carrier rotatable on the spindle, a rotational direction limiting means between the carrier and the spindle, and rotation means to rotate the carrier with respect to the clutch nut, so that by rotating the rotation means in one direction the clutch nut is moved towards the chain wheel to cause the chain wheel to be rotated by the spindle, and by rotating the rotation means in the opposite direction, the clutch nut moves away from the chain wheel to release the chain wheel from the spindle, engagement of the clutch nut with the stop causing the carrier to rotate thereby rotating the chain wheel without rotation of the spindle.
Preferably the carrier has a movable dog and an adjacent chain wheel part has a lug thereon, the dog being manually moveable so that the dog engages the lug when the clutch nut is moved towards the stop, and manually movable so that the lug is free from the dog when the clutch nut is moved away from the stop and towards the chain wheel.
Preferably the one way drive comprises a toothed wheel mounted on the spindle to rotate with the spindle and one or more pawls on the carrier.
In a further aspect the invention consists in a chain wheel part comprising a disk, a plurality of teeth on the disk, the teeth not extending to the perimeter of the disk, and a plurality of spines, the spines being positioned on or at least on some teeth and extending to or adjacent the periphery of the drive.
Preferably the teeth are mounted on a central portion displaced from the plane of the disk and the spines are positioned on the outer most extremity of a tooth on which they are placed, the spine extending down an outwardly facing face of a tooth, and across a the peripheral area of the disk.
In a still further aspect the invention consists in a guide for a rope or chain comprising a base plate, an arcuate first arm pivoted to the base plate, an arcuate second arm pivotally connected to the first arm and so as in a rest position to form an acute angle with the first arm, and biasing means between the base plate and the second arm.
Preferably the base plate carries a chain wheel and the arms are positioned adjacent the periphery of the chain wheel.
Preferably the biasing means comprises a spring connected to the second arm at a position between the pivot points between the base plate and first arm and between the first and second arms.
Preferably the second arm carries a pressure member.
In a still further aspect the invention consists in a guide for a rope or chain comprising a base plate, an arm pivotally mounted on the base plate, biasing means between the base plate and the arm, and a pressure member on the arm.
Preferably the pressure member is pivotally mounted on the arm.
Preferably the arm is substantially arcuate.
Preferably the pressure member is substantially arcuate.
Preferably the pivot point of the pressure member is adjacent the convex face of the substantially arcuate pressure member.
Preferably the base plate carries a chain wheel pair, the pivot point of the arm to the base being adjacent the periphery of the chain wheel or wheels.
Preferably the pivot point between the arm and the pressure member is displaced from the centre point of the pressure member towards the pivot point between the arm and base.
Preferably the biasing means comprises a spring.
In a still further aspect the invention consists in a winch including a guide according to the preceding paragraphs.
In a still further aspect the invention consists in a chain, holding means being provided to bias adjacent links of the chain to a position where the links of the chain are closely adjacent.
Preferably the holding means comprises a tie about adjacent lengths.
Alternatively the holding means comprises a pressure block positioned in the aperture of one or more links.
To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.